Tag Archives: Autobiography

One Library Gal’s Obsession with Jeopardy

Cover-image-for-Alex-Trebek's-autobiography-The-Answer-Is

It’s hard to say exactly when I became a die-hard fan of Jeopardy. Growing up, I dabbled here and there. Catching an episode with my parents, flexing my general knowledge skills for the family (there’s a reason why my specialty here at VPL is general services). It turns out there are some benefits to a liberal arts degree after all. In all seriousness, I love the approach the show takes to trivia, which mirrors the general trivia ethos, if you will. The questions can be about almost anything, covering wide swathes of subjects, time periods, historical movements, cultures, and geographies. The value is in knowing a bit about many things, versus doing a deep dive into one limited area. Somewhere along the way (and I think COVID had something to do with this), we started recording every single episode. Now, there is a cache of riches just waiting for us in our PVR all the time. The goal is to watch an episode every day, but sometimes things get in the way: illness, vacations, plans, etc. Most days, I like to turn it on just as we’re sitting down to supper. It’s a lovely accompaniment to a nice piece of salmon or a tofu stir fry. During the lockdown, we watched daily. I remember tracing the trajectory of Alex Trebek’s illness. From the moment he disclosed his diagnosis and the fact that he would be undergoing aggressive treatment, to the minuscule changes in his appearance that would appear from one episode to the next. It was heartbreaking, of course, but there he was hosting the show nonetheless. Such an impressive individual in so many ways. My dream is to be on the show as a contestant. That would be everything to me, but who knows? There’s a test you have to take online called the “Anytime test.” One of these days, I’ll get that call from the Jeopardy producers, and they’ll fly me to New York or some place glamorous for the final interview. I will wow them with my dazzling intellect, and the rest will be history. It turns out, we have a fair number of items related to Jeopardy in our catalogue. A couple of autobiographies from key figures, a non-fiction book about Jeopardy history, and of course trivia for you to brush up before the big test. I hope there’s something here that tickles your Jeopardy fancy!

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P.D. James and the Literary Legacy She Left Behind

Cover image for the detective murder mystery series Dalgliesh.

As has already been discussed on this blog here and here, P.D. James is the best. What has previously been commented upon succinctly by my colleagues, will now be expanded upon heartily.

In my house, we have fallen in love with the television adaptation of James’ excellent mystery novels. The show is simply titled Dalgliesh, after the central Detective Chief Inspector figure. Each novel is covered by two episodes; therefore, each mystery is given an hour and a half of introduction, development, and resolution. The stories have that shimmer of reality because of the complex detail James devotes to them. More than that, our detective Dalgliesh feels real as well. Slowly, the audience is told that he is a somewhat famous poet, a widower, and a fully-fledged person with emotions and friendships.

I suppose it’s somewhat backwards to have started with the TV show and now gone back to the novels it’s based on, but that’s just how it goes sometimes. There are 14 Adam Dalgliesh murder mysteries to gorge yourself on. Woefully, there are only four print books and two audiobooks in our collection. But if you are intrigued, fill out a Suggest a Title form, and we will try to borrow a copy for you from another library system!

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Scrappy, Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick

Cover of BookI was so excited when Scrappy, Little Nobody came for me! I started reading it right away and could not put it down! In the beginning, I didn’t know what to expect since Anna Kendrick doesn’t often reveal much about her personal life in her interviews. However, she tells countless stories in this book that are so vivid and detailed. Sometimes, I wondered how she could remember all of what has happened to her, but then, I realized that she’s lived through such exciting and thrilling experiences that could not be forgotten!

What I truly appreciated from reading this book is that Anna was completely honest and direct from beginning to end. I learned that although Anna is a famous and talented actress now, she doesn’t let the fame get to her. She doesn’t want to feel entitled, and will always feel uncomfortable about her appearance, home, and money. She not only explains her struggles as an actress, but even while she was not cast in productions. She expresses her sincere thoughts and feelings, especially when talking about her family, boyfriends, and roommates. Telling stories about these people in her life and some of the experiences she went through reminds me that she has ups and downs like anyone else.

So, you want to know more about Anna’s life? Read her book! If you’re like me, you will admire Anna Kendrick even more, which I didn’t even know was possible!